Sectional bookcase.



No. 728,150. PATENIED MAY 12 1903.

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SEGTIONAL BOOKGASE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 7, 1901.

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APPLICATION FILED DEU. 7, 1901.

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NiTED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

WILLIAM R. WOLF, OF BURLINGTON, IOWA.

t SECTIONAL eooKoAsE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,150, dated. May 12, 1903.

Application filed December 7, 1901. Serial No. 85,091. (llo model.) i

To all whom, t may concern/.j

Be it known that l, WILLIAM R. WOLF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain vnew and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description'ofthe invention, such as willenable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in bookcases, and more particularly to the sectional type; and the objectin view is the production of a section or separate individual cell capable of conjoint use with a plurality of similar sections or cells, whereby a bookcase or cabinet is produced.

With this and other objects in view thein- Vention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of a plurality ofsections embodying the featuresl of myinvention secured together for forming abookcase or cabinet, one of the sections being removed to show the connecting structure. Fig. 2 represents a vertical central section through one of the cells orsections, this particular section being provided .with a base and top closure. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged detail perspective viewvof` one of the one of the connecting members or screws, the

surrounding parts being shown in section. Fig. 8 represents a detail section of one of the rear corners of a cell or section, illustrating the retaining means for the back of the section. Fig. 9 represents a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a plurality of sections in lateral relations. Fig. 10 represents a fragmentary vertical section through a plurality of cells or sections.

Referring to thevdrawiugs by numerals, 1 indicates an intermediate section, 2 a top section, and 3 a bottom section. ,A Each of the sections is alike, except that, as sc eninFig, 2, which l.represents a compoundingof the top and bottom vvsections,th`e `top section has a suitable top closure, as 4,'and thebottom section a'4base,'as 5.... The base is-provided with a bottom',1as 6, preferablyheld ,in position by tongue-and-groove",connection with the walls of the base. The` intermediate sections are formed by the omission of the top 4 and the base.l 5, and each of said intermediate sections comprise two side walls, as 7 7, each wall having its rear end rabbeted forreceiving the edges of a suit-able back, as 8, each of the edges being formed with a plurality of apertures, as.V 9, for receiving securing means, as will be Vhereinafter mentioned. Each of the intermediate sections l is provided with a suitable bottom, as l0, formed with a transverse concaved groove, as 11,-near its front end Iand in its under face, as will be hereinafter specified. Each of the sides 7 has its upper and lower edges providedwith comparatively deep grooves extending the full length thereof, andthe upper groove is designed to receive and retain a locking or fastener` bar, as l2. Each bar l2 is formed of a suitable piece of material, preferably flat metal, and formed inv its upper and lower edges with a plurality of rearwardly-directed angular notches, as 13-13. The rear end of bar l2 is bent at right angles to the main body portion thereof and provided with a plurality of lugs 14 14, projecting forwardly and designed in operation lto engage apertures 9 for retaining the back 8 in position. The forward end of the bar l2 is preferably tapered and threaded, as at l5, for receiving a suitable nut 16 or 16', the former being a wing-nut and the latter a sleeve-nut. Extending transversely of each of the upper edge grooves are applurality of bolts or engaging bars, as 17 17,*designed to be engaged by the lower notches 13 of bar l2 for permanently but slidably retaining the said bar within the upper edge groove. The lower edge groove of each side wall 7 of each intermediate section is designed to inclose the upper edge of its corresponding lloo bar 12, and the bottom 10 of this superimposed section is provided with a plurality of engaging members, as 18, each preferably a screw the head of which is passed through an aperture, as 19, in its corresponding wall 7 and through notch 13 of the upper edge of bar 12, whereby when the said bar is drawn forward, so that the angular portion of the notch 13 engages the member 1S, the head thereof will be held against removal and the side wall, bottom, and two sections will thereby be securely held together. It will be noted that bar 12 is free to slide longitudinally for a short distance, whereby it may be caused to engage or be disengaged from the members 1S, and the same forward movement which causes the engagement with the said members will also cause the lugs 14 to engage apertures 9, and thereby securely retain the back 8 in position. The front end of each bar 12 is provided with a binding-block, as 20, the upper end of which engages the upper section and the lower end engaging the lower section, whereby tightening of the nut 16 or 16', as the case may be, will cause the upper and lower sections to be brought into exact alinement by the contact of said block.

One of the sides 7 of each section is provided with a laterally-opening aperture registering with one of the notches 13, preferably one ot' the upper ones, not engaged by members 18and in the opposite wall 7 and exactly in the same relative position is a suitable laterally-projecting engaging screw or bolt, as 18', whereby each section may have its laterally-projecting screw passed through the aperture in the side wall of the next contiguous section and engage the bar 12 thereof for securing the two sections together. It will thus be seen that when the parts are assembled to form a complete section and a plurality of sections are assembled to form a cabinet all that is necessary to dismantle the entire structure is to loosen the nuts 16 and move the bars 12 rearwardly, whereby the notches 13 will no longer engage members 18 and 18' and lugs 14 will be free from engagement with apertures 9, thereby leaving the sections to be separated and the sides, back, and bottom of each of the sections free to be separated. A reverse movement of bars 12 will again firmly lock all parts of each of the sections together and also secure together all of the laterally-arranged sections.

In practice I find it desirable to provide a suitable door to each section, and any suitable door proper, as 21, may be employed provided with an operating-handle, as22, designed to be grasped for swinging the door outwardly upon its laterally-extending pivotal supports, as 23 23, each of which engages a horizontal groove, as 24, in its respective wall '7, whereby after the door 21 has been swung to a horizontal plane it may be passed rearwardly, guided by supports 23, engaging grooves 24, and retained in the upper portion of the section. A roller, as 25, is supported in contact with door 21 on each of walls 7, whereby the said` door will have its frontend supported when in a horizontal position, its pivotal supports being at the rear of slots 24 and supporting the rear end of the door, and also whereby the said door when in a vertical position will be prevented from falling inwardly. The upper end, as 26, of door21 is curved, and of course that portion above the pivotal supports will move in the arc of a circle on a comparatively small radius, and in the intermediate sections the concaved portion 11 in the bottom of the next upper section affords sufficient room for this swinging of the upper end of door 21. At the same time it will be understood that when the door is in a vertical position the curved upper edge thereof will lie close to or in contact with the front portion of concave 1l, whereby the door will be prevented from falling outwardly.

Although I have specifically set forth one particular embodiment of my invention, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise structure described, but shall feel at liberty to deviate therefrom to a degree within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A bookcase or cabinet, comprising a plurality of sections, each of the said sections being composed of a number of separable parts, and devices for locking together all of the parts of each of said sections some of the same devices operating to lock each of said sections to its contiguous section, substantially as described.

2. A bookcase or cabinet, comprising a plurality of sections, each consisting of a number of separable parts some of which form side walls, a locking-bar mounted on the upper edge of each of said side walls, means for locking laterally-contiguous sections together, said means being carried by each section and engaging said locking-bars, and means carried by each superposed section for engaging and being locked to the lock-bar of the section immediately beneath the same, substantially as described.

3. A bookcase or cabinet, comprising a plurality of sections, each of which consists of a number of separable parts, some of the parts forming side walls, a locking-bar mounted on the upper edge of each of the side walls, and means carried by each section for engaging the locking-bar of the next laterally-contiguous section,.substantially as described.

4. A bookcase or cabinet, comprising a plurality of sections, each consisting of a number of separable parts some of which form side walls, a longitudinal groove being formed in the upper and lower edges of each of said side walls, a locking-bar mounted in Ithe groove of each of the upper edges and projecting above the same, means engaging said bar for locking the same within its groove, the groove of IIO the lower edge of the wall of the next contiguous superposed section being designed to inclose the projecting portion of said bar, and means carried within the last mentioned groove for engaging said projecting portion of said bar, whereby the superposed section may be locked to the next lower section, substantially as described.

. 5. A bookcase or cabinet comprising a plurality of sections, each consisting of a number of separable parts consisting of side walls, back and bottom,a locking-bar mounted within the upper edge of each of said side walls, and having its upper edge extending above the edge of its respective wall, a longitudinal groove being formed in the lower edge of each of the side walls of each of the sections, de-

signed to inclos'e the projecting edge of the locking-bar of the side wall of the next lower section, and locking members carried by the bottom of each section, passed through a portion of the side walls thereof into the grooves of their lower edges and designed to be engaged by the upper edge of the respective locking-bars for retaining all of the parts in position and at the same time locking the contiguous sections together, substantially as described.

6. A bookcase or cabinet comprising a plurality of sections, each consisting of a number of separable parts, some of the parts forming side walls and a back, a locking-bar carried by the upper edge of each of said side walls, means on each locking bar engaging said back for retaining the same in position, means for locking each superposed section to the locking-bars of its next lower section, and means carried by the locking-bars for retaining all of said sections in alinement, substantially as described.

7. A bookcase or cabinet comprising a plurality of sections, each of the sections consisting of a number of separable parts, some of the parts forming side walls and a back, a bar mounted in the upper edge of each of said side walls, each of said bars comprising a flat piece of material, having one end bent at a right angle and the other end tapered and threaded to receive a retaining-nut, a plurality of rearwardly directed, angular notches being formed in the upper and lower edges of the bar, transversely-arranged bolts carried by the respective side walls and engaging some of the notches of the bar carried thereby, and means carried by each of the superposed sections for engaging other of said notches, substantially as described.

8. A bookcase or cabinet, comprising a plurality of sections, each of said sections being composed of a number of separable parts, reciprocating bars for locking together all of the several parts of each of said sections and means engaged thereby for eecting said locking action and connecting them with adjoining sections, substantially as described.

9. A bookcase or cabinet, comprising a plurality of superposed sections and a plurality of laterally-contiguous sections, each of said sections being composed of a number of separable parts, and slidable bars for locking all of the parts of each section together, and means engaged thereby for e'ecting said locking action, some of said bars being also used for locking superposed and laterallycontiguous sections of the bookcase together,

substantially as described.

10. Abookcase or cabinet, comprising aplurality of sections, each of said sections comprising side and end walls and a bottom designed to be detachably secured together, and means for locking together some of said parts of each section and simultaneously locking together some of the parts of the next contiguous section, whereby the several sections will be held in contact, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. WOLF.

Witnesses:

CARL WEINRICH, A. H. STORKER. 

